


Tony's Bucket List.

by Ficker



Category: Homestuck, Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: <- implied, (Well slavery so Stockholm Syndrome like), Abuse, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Slavery, Author reserves the right to add more tags, Beating, Brain Damage, Castration, Child Abuse, Deaf Character, Everyone Needs A Hug, Extremely Dubious Consent, Extremely Underage, Eye Trauma, F/F, F/M, Fear, Forced Fighting, Graphic Violence, Healing, Hiding in Plain Sight, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Karkat Needs a Hug, Karkat Swearing, Legal Slavery, M/M, Mental Disorders, Mildly Dubious Consent, Multi, Neutering, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, PTSD, Past Child Abuse, Petstuck, Psychological Trauma, Racism, Rescue, Self-Harm, Sexual Content, Slavery, Stockholm Syndrome, Swearing, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Traumatic Brain Injury, Unwilling scientific exasperation, Veterinary Clinic, blood sports, botched surgery, for the sake of self preservation, forced soldier, gotta tag them all, hip dysplasia, ill add as many tags as I have too, institutional syndrome, rape/ noncon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-03-07 19:24:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 34
Words: 19,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3180290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ficker/pseuds/Ficker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony always thought that he had done everything and every one. Then one day he was asked if he had ever had sex with a troll. This led him down a new path full of shock, pain, rescue and eventually true friendship and happiness. It also led him to saving almost all of the trolls treated as "pets" or slaves on earth. But that was a side benefit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Done it with a Troll?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I hope you like it! Also, I am taking requests for scenes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank my Beta shadowNova who edits my work. You are awesome shadowNova!

"You've never had sex with a troll? Seriously? I thought you were a Master of the sexual arts..." The annoying and slightly mocking voice of Matthew J. Jameson cut in. His blond mug and annoying hipster chic form stepping into an unrelated conversation between Tony and the man he was speaking to, a rather boring businessman, forcing Tony to give the twenty-one year old currently butting in his full attention. “Nope. I haven't. I also have never done it with a horse. I'm not big on Zoophilia.” Matthew made a face like he didn't understand for a moment. “Wait, wait, wait… You've never MET a troll before?" The way the younger man latched onto that so fast was mildly surprising. He'd never known the boy's father to show even a semblance of intelligence. "They don’t act like animals dude. More like slightly fucking nuts people,” he insisted, putting an arm on Tony’s shoulder- an arm Tony removed, a glare on his face. He was not big on being touched by others randomly. A bit hypocritical he knew, but heck. He was Tony freaking Stark. A viable god among men...Thor be dammed. “Kindly refrain from getting your grubby hands on my suit.” The younger male rolled his eyes. “Hold on. You're missing the point. I know- I’ll make you a bet. I’ll get my troll and bring him back for you, to show you how awesome trolls are," Matthew challenged. "If you don't think he's an animal, you gotta buy him and keep him around... Come on. You've never lived until you've fucked a troll.” Tony was oddly intrigued. A crazy person? He’d never much looked into trolls, always just thinking of them as pets in people clothes. Like monkeys. “Alright, I’ll make that bet,” he agreed, in a rather good mood and already drunk. “If I am right and it’s like a horse or other dumb animal, you never come to one of my parties uninvited again. if you are right…” he thought for a moment. “I’ll buy the troll.” Matthew grinned at that. “I’ll set the buying price.” He said, before turning.  
Matthew was not the smartest kid, one instance aside, in the world and Tony was 85% sure he would win the bet. He’d seen the trolls on TV after all. They were idiotic creatures who simply repeated or mocked at best and at worse were on the news for attacking someone. A tiny voice inside Tony’s head told him that he might lose. His maths might be off thanks to the rather large amount of liquor in his system. That TV lied and that the news stories showed something he should know. It was nagging at him. It was something about the victims of the troll attacks. “Never mind…” The billionaire muttered allowed before seeing a very attractive blond. Potts was currently ignoring him, so he might as well party.  
An hour later Matthew came back with a tall, thin creature. It took Tony a full three seconds before he saw that it was a troll. It wasn’t like on the TV- the troll walked straight, shoulders back with this look of sheer confidence and… amusement? It was unexpected. “Eridan, this is Mr. Stark, why don’t you show him how much of an animal you are.” Matthew said. Eridan smirked and walked close. There was something predatory about the way the troll moved. “WWell Mister Stark… Anywway in particular that I can provve I am not a...Horse wwas it?” He looked at his Master, eyebrow raised.  
“...Is that a lisp?” Tony asked after a moment, wrapping an arm around the troll, ignoring Matthew. If he was going to be buying a troll he might as well get to know it first. “Yes. It is...it’s not funny either,” Eridan grumbled, crossing his arms but not pulling away- in fact, he moved closer, and laid his head onto the human’s shoulder. “Oh, it’s fucking hilarious. Way too fucking funny. So… Tell me, are you as good in bed as Matthew says you are?’ Tony asked with a smirk. “Oh, better wway better. Mattheww never kneww a good thing wwhen he had it,” Eridan answered. Tony laughed again and raised a finger, turning to Matthew. “Send the money request to my office.” He didn’t admit defeat outright. There was still that little voice inside Tony’s head, it was screaming now, but Stark ignored it, a shiver going up his spine. “Let’s enjoy the party” he said, taking another sip of his wine.

The next morning, Tony Stark found when he awoke that he had a huge headache and the light seemed to be pounding on his head. There was also a strangely cool body next to him. Was it the blond…? No… She turned him down. The brunette? No...that was yesterday… Suddenly bright purple eyes and sharp teeth came to mind and he shot up, holding his head, before looking next to him, peeking over. Yep. It was grey. He’d bought and fucked a troll. A very talented troll… If memory served him right. But… Still, legally an animal. How drunk had he gotten? Yet, he remembered it talking. Then again… trolls were mimics…  
“Jarvis, look up Troll care, tips and trivia then summarize it and print it out,” he ordered, getting up and putting on his pants. He could see his clothes all over, along with a tight purple v-neck shirt and tight leather pants. The troll had worn flip flops with them. Fuck this was odd. Tony usually didn't mind waking up his bed partners, but this time he needed the other to stay asleep. At least until he knew what to expect.  
The list was printed and Dummy was holding it out for him when he got to the kitchen. “OK, here it is...What?”

1: Trolls are not stupid, contrary to popular belief. They can speak, read, write and do most things humans can do.

2: Trolls require a large amount of attention. About the amount a 2 year old human would need.

3: Trolls can overeat and get sick.Watch their diet.

4: Trolls have the intelligence of a 2-4 year old child.

5: Trolls can be violent. They should be watched around small children and sometimes a shock collar is recommended. Crating is also often used with aggressive trolls.

6: Trolls should not be confined. This makes then agitated.

7: Trolls are the perfect pet as they require almost zero attention and can feed, wash and entertain themselves.

“Jarvis! These facts contradict each other…” Tony said, growling. “I apologize Sir. It seems that there is not an agreement among those that study trolls. Also, there seem to be a rather large on-line debate about proper care. I will strive to find the articles with the best evidence.” Tony nodded before starting to make himself some coffee. The other Avengers were all elsewhere at the moment and Tony had the place to himself, relatively speaking. "Sir. Your bed partner is currently awake and appears to be crying". "WHAT?!"


	2. What?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Animals don't cry...But they don't talk ether. Something is very wrong here.

Tony ran to the room that housed the purple blooded troll, a troll that was supposed to be an animal. But... Animals didn't cry. A small voice said that that might not be true but Tony ignored it. Jarvis would not mistake crying for anything but. However, when the genius got to the door of his room he didn't feel so smart.

The troll was crying, his knees brought up to his chest and his head on his knees. The creature’s shoulders were shaking and it was making pitiful gasping sounds. "Hey... Umm. Damn I forgot your name..." Tony muttered, looking away. "Wwhat do you wwant? Wwait. I'm sorry... My name is Eridan, Master." the troll said looking up. His, Tony decided, eyes were purple ringed and looked bloodshot from crying. "... I am a lot of things. Billionaire, genius, philanthropist... Iron Man... But I'm not a Master unless it's some wicked role playing." Tony had no idea why that came out of his mouth, but it did. Being called a Master in an honest sense of the word felt... Wrong.

It was the right thing to say. Tony knew this when the troll smiled and wiped his eyes. "Thanks... But. Wwhat do I call you then?" He asked. "Call me Tony." Again with the sudden speech. He really needed to get that looked into. It could not be normal- then again. Tony was godly. Eridan smiled again. But he still looked very sad. "Alright. Thank you, Tony." he said. "Uh. Let me find you something to wear..." The human muttered, looking about.

Tony figured the troll was about his size, if a little on the skinny and young side. Wait. WAIT, his subconscious shouted. REWIND. Skinny and young side. Skinny and... "Fuck. Hey Jarvis? What is the maturation rate of a troll? Of... Purple blood? Eridan. Of Eridan..." Tony knew that blood colour affected their aging from TV. Jarvis was silent for a moment. "Trolls age different based upon blood colour. However that is after they have reached their adult state. A full scan shows Eridan to be physically in what humans would call late-mid adolescence." "He's fifteen ...?" "Roughly Sir.” Tony turned back to Eridan. "You’re fifteen?" Eridan shook his head. "No. I'm turning seventeen in six months... ". "SIXTEEN IS SIXTEEN!" Tony shouted, taking a seat and holding his head. Eridan flinched and got off the bed, crouching down beside it.  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to be stupid...Sorry. Please forgive me Master" He then started crying again. Tony noticed that Eridan had a very interesting accent after a moment. "I'm not your Master. There is nothing to forgive. I..." He wanted to say he was sorry, but could not. "Here. Wear this until I buy you clothes of your own". Tony tossed over a long sleeved brown t-shirt and some loose fitting black pants. Eridan grabbed them, but did not put them on. "M-Tony? May I take a showwer please?" He asked. The teen’s- Tony had decided to just think of the troll as a teenager- scared, soft voice was what broke Tony. "Yeah kid. Go ahead. Shower is through there".  
Once Eridan was safely in the shower Tony left the room, going to his workshop where he proceeded to pound at the wall. What had he done? Fuck. "Fuck. Jarvis. Get Pepper on the phone. I need her." he said. It was time to apologise.

Pepper had jumped into action, getting everything set up for a 15 year old boy in one of the many empty rooms. She had then, at Tony's request, scheduled a doctor visit for Eridan at a doctor’s office that saw both trolls and humans. She was now having everything delivered and set up. Eridan had long since been distracted by Tony when he was told he could order a whole new wardrobe online. It turned out the teen liked clothes. It's been hours and the troll was still occupied.

"Pepper!" Tony said, walking to hug her as she walked in with the handy men who were bringing the furniture up. "Mr. Stark. I kindly ask you to keep your hands to yourself," she scolded, deflecting him. "Quite right. How unprofessional of me Miss Potts," Tony said, before turning away. Outside he was smiling, but he knew he deserved the cold shoulder. "Where is Eridan?" Pepper asked, quite professional. "Oh. I told him he could pick out clothes. He's on a computer in the living room picking them out". She nodded and moved to instruct the men. "Oh do be careful. Watch the corners!" “Pepper…” Tony tried. “Wait! Lift it!” “Pepper…” “Umm, that does go there, to the left…” “MISS POTTS I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!” Pepper stopped and sighed. “Pepper, I’ve done something horrible”. “You’ve fucked Eridan” She said plainly. “No I-How did you know” Tony asked, a flabbergast look upon his face. “Tony, I know you.” “What do I do! He’s...He’s just a kid Pepper.” The woman sighed and took a seat, making a motion for Tony to do the same. “I...Well Tony. You fucked up” Tony stared. Pepper rarely cursed. But it was true and the man felt his stomach drop to just have it outright stated that way. “But, I think you should see how it affected Eridan before you freak out…” She started and Tony looked up from his hands, hopeful, but knowing she was not finished. “And never do it again”. “Ah, quite right.”


	3. Your body is a Temple.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A snip-it into a very special unnamed trolls life and what is currently happening to him.  
> Sort of graphic. Sort of sad. 
> 
> He's body was only a temple if temples were the glory hole in the whorehouse wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE SKIP IF YOU NEED TOO!

The troll woke up thinking about how he had once heard someone say that ‘your body is a temple’. It had made him laugh, which had got him hit. Most things had got him hit. The funny thing was the mental image it brought up. His body was only a temple if temple was a fucking synonym for ‘Glory hole in the bathroom stall at the dirtiest strip club in Vegas’. He felt like his body had been used more than a public toilet and it bothered him at the moment. His body had never, ever been his. Something he understood on a core level. He was property, meant to be used in anyway his user saw fit. Usually he was fine with that, but not this morning. This morning he was bothered. 

He crouched inside his little cage, head on his knees. The cage was far too small for him to sit with his legs straight, much less lay down and it was the same cage he was put into every night after he had served his purpose. He probably would have been used even more if it were not detrimental to his health and the fact that human handlers needed to sleep at some point. 

His life was shit. Always had been. When he had been a newly pupated troll he’s been sold to an extremely sadistic and abusive owner. The man had quite literally beat and raped him daily, letting his friends and brothers get in on the action. Then, when he had been 12 years old, he’d suddenly been sold so his Master could get the new X-box One. it had been a humiliating experience. He’d only sold for $600’s thanks to how scared and used up his body had been at that point. He’s been bought to be the ‘relief’ at a Troll Pet Shop, considered too scared up and badly behaved to sell. 

Every single day except for Thursday he was dragged from the small cage he was kept in, inside of the bosses office, and forced into one of the much larger cages that housed the trolls for sale. The trolls he was given too were ether getting violent and needed the stress relief or had been very well behaved and were being given a reward. Usually that was OK, expected and even enjoyable at times. The human handlers fucked him too, usually his ass as they said his ‘troll pussy’ was too loose already. It was fine, trolls didn’t use him in that unnatural feeling way. It was all fine...So, why wasn't it today? Why did he want his body to be a temple? 

The door opened for the day to start, the shop owner opening his cage and grabbing his arm, pulling him out. “Let have a quickie before I send you out there to get all dirty. You’d like that, ehh whore?” The man asked. The troll didn’t reply. He couldn’t. They had pierced his lips shut so he wouldn't be able to curse after all. He apparently cursed too much and hit nerves when he did.

He really wished he hadn’t woken up thinking about his body being a temple. Two tears slid down his face as he heard the zipper being pulled down. Welcome to a day in his life. His body was no temple, in any sense of the word. 


	4. Thought he was loved.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eridan gets lost in his past and why he was crying. He'd thought Matthew loved him. 
> 
> He was his brother after all.

Eridan was sitting at the computer, looking at the clothes he had picked out. Or, at least that is what he looked like he was doing. In reality he was still in shock. It had subsided for a few moments when he had really got into picking out clothes, but now...Well, he’d seen a shirt that had reminded him of a shirt his old Masters mother had bought him. He had loved her so much.

She had been his mother too.

He remembered seeing her smiling face looking at him through the bars of his cage when he had been six years old.

      _“Oh, sweety. Look at him! Isn’t he lovely? Oh...and he’s so shy. Oh, we have to get him, look, he’s so friendly.” She had said. It was true, Eridan had smiled at her. He had been told that his best bet to find an owner was to smile and be sweet. It had worked. The pretty blond woman and her grumpy looking husband had bought him. “You are going to be the perfect gift for our 14 year old son. He’s always wanted a little brother!” She said as she had buckled him into the car, kissing his head. “Dear, don’t coddle him so, you might be scaring the little fellow”. Her husband had said. She had shh’ed him and stroked Eridans hair softly. It had been strange, but her smile had made everything right from the first moment._

_He had been introduced to her son, his Master and she had told him to call the boy his Big Brother. Eridan had. It had all been great. For the first six months. Then Matthew had started to molest him. It had started quite abruptly. Matthew had entered his room and got into bed with him, before slipping a hand down his pants. Eridan had struggled of course, but Matthew had dug his fingers into the folds protecting his bulge. It had hurt. He had then whispered. “If mom or dad finds out about this they will get rid of you. Dad will make her, you’re not their real kid. You’re a troll and they’ll say you’re a bad influence on me” he had breathed into Eridans ear. “They don’t love you, you know that. Not like they love me. You’re just a thing”. It had made Eridan cry so much that he had stained the pillow case. But that was not the deepest purple that was on those covers the next day. Eridan had lied and said he had had an accident. After that he’d started to have a lot of accidents. Matthew had raped Eridan for the first time on Christmas Eve, 8 months after he’d been bought._

_But his mother had smiled at him, baked cakes, played games. They had went shopping and watched soap operas. She had always hugged him, kissed his head, told him what a good troll he was. How much she loved him. Every night until he was 14 she had read to him. Every morning she cooked him food, did his laundry, and hung out with him. She even taught him to read and write. But it had been when he was 14 that everything had suddenly gone to hell._

_Matthew had always been a bad boy, getting suspended from high school, dropping out of college, bombing interviews. It got so bad that him and his parents were constantly at odds with each other, then one night it had all come to a head. Mom and dad had been out, at a company dinner and matthew had been watching Eridan. He’d been fucking him across the living room table when mom had walked in quite suddenly, having come back after they got to the event, realising she had forgotten her cell phone. Eridan saw her first and he had just stared, in horror as his body rocked from what was being done to him. She’d then screamed. Dad had come in then and pulled Matthew off, starting to yell at him. But all Eridan could ear was muffled sounds and ringing in his ears as his world came crashing down around him. He’d ran to his room and started packing, everything Matthew had said flooding back to him. Things had passed quickly then. His master had had his hand, pulling him. Mom had reached for him, but then his master had said something and she’d pulled back, covering her mouth in horror. The look she had given Eridan. It crushed him. Then they were in a cab and pulling away. Eridan had not been sure when he’d gotten pants on, but they were black and tight. Mom and dad had never come looking for him._

_Matthew had stayed at a friends house, letting said friend fuck Eridan in place of rent. That is what Eridan became. Something to be traded for a room, drinks at the bar, a hoodie. Anything Master had wanted Eridan’s body had been traded for. It had often hurt and he felt dead inside. But even then, Master had been his last connection to his childhood and his mother. He’d been his big brother, even if he were a bad one and Eridan had thought Matthew loved him. He’d thought Matthew needed him, wanted him. He’d loved his big brother after all._

_Then, last night, he’d been sitting in the corner of that cheap motel room, dressed in a t-shirt when Master had walked in and thrown clothes at him, nice clothes. “Get the fuck cleaned up. I fucking sold your worthless ass. We’re going to meet your new Master and you better FUCKING TREAT HIM NICE. OR I’LL FUCKING BEAT YOU WITH A CROWBAR”. He’d said. Matthew had beat him with a bat once. It had been bad. Eridan believed him._

Eridan had dressed, made sure he looked nice, he’d went to the party, made sure he treated his new master nice, a man he’d never met. Let the guy fuck him and sweat all over him. Done his utter best to please him. All in a haze. He had been on autopilot. But then, the that morning it had just hit him. He’d been sold by the last person in his life he thought loved him. Just...Sold. And it broke him inside.


	5. Lonely Lies.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony asks Eridan why he was sad. 
> 
> Eridan lies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty safe chapter. Hope you enjoy. 
> 
> Don't be scared to review. Or request.

Tony had had a good talk with Piper and he'd known she was right, just as she normally was about these things. However she'd left over two hours ago, after being here for over four hours and... Eridan was still at that computer. Tony had asked Jarvis. The troll had not done anything but stare and move the mouse when the screensaver popped up. It could not be healthy. But... Tony didn't know what to say to the teenager. Jarvis had found an interesting website in the depths of the web that protested the treatment of Trolls as pets. It had a lot of research and even video logs of trolls speaking about their own culture, health and diet and stuff. Tony had Jarvis summarising it all. 

"Sir? Eridan has moved from the computer, closing his tabs" Tony nodded. "Buy whatever he had in his cart or whatever it appeared he liked" Tony said. He then stopped. "Wait. Don't get anything that that shows his stomach, his thighs or is skin tight or says offensive vocabulary..." He said. He'd seen what that kid wore the night before. "No V necks ether..." He then made his way to where he knew Eridan had to be. This was going to be tough. 

"Eridan." Tony said. The troll froze in the doorway to the bathroom. "Eridan I just wanted to say..." Tony was going to say it, to ask what the matter was. He was going to open Pandora's box as it were. He-" Do you wanna see your new room kiddo?" -Chickened out. Eridan sighed and nodded, looking down. "Ye-yes m-Tony. Yes Tony" he said. The term then followed the super hero as he walked. 

The teenagers room was not far from his own room Tony noted. There was probably a reason for that, even if Tony didn't know it. "Here it it its... Very purple" Tony noted. Purple walls, purple sheets and dark blue accents. It had everything the boy would need. Eridan looked amazed. "Thanks..." He said in awe. "Err... Welcome" he'd have to thank Pepper later. 

As the troll looked around his room Tony got up the guts to ask. "Why were you crying?" Eridan froze, his back to Tony. "I... It wwas just. I..." Eridan sat on the bed, head in his hands. "I wwas... Lonely." He lied. Tony stared. "Oh". Eridan nodded. "Yeah... Heh. its ok noww though... Tony". He lied again. Tony shook his head. "If you're lonely I'll just have to get you another troll to hang out with". The words just came out of his mouth. 

"Wwhat?"


	6. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Eridans new... FRIENDS?!
> 
> What. Two is better then one. So three is better then two...

Another troll. What an idea. It was a preposterous idea. Scandalous even and should never have been suggested.

Tony was currently parked in front of the most well known Troll Pet Shop in the whole city. It was oddly called 'Trolls R Us'. An ironic name when one considered that trolls really were just like humans but were separate, not equal.  
The Hero sighed before he got out of his car and started to make his way into the store. He was far from pleased about what was currently happening. How was he supposed to take care of another teenager?

Inside the building there was a waiting room. It was painted white with photoshopped and hallmark looking posters of happy trolls with families. It was quite disgusting to Tony. A woman was at the desk. Once she saw Tony she jumped up. "Oh. Mr. Stark! You're early! We were not expecting you for well over an hour!" she exclaimed, seeming nervous.

Tony rolled his eyes and tried not to look annoyed or bored. He hated the running around. "I had some free time so thought I'd get it over with. Why don't you show me the trolls?" He asked, smiling and looking the rather plain woman up and down. He was flirting.

"Oh! I'll go and get my boss right away. He's in his office" she said, before running to go and get her employer. She came back with him in less than 5 minutes.  
The store owner was a tubby little man who wore a suit and tried his best to look professional. He shook Tony's hand in his own meaty one and seemed thrilled to see him. "Mr Stark, a pleasure to meet you. Sorry I was not here to greet you but you are-" Tony interrupted him there. "Early. I know. Take me to see the trolls". The man paled. "Mr Stark, usually we show you images of the trolls and bring them to you in one of our waiting rooms. I think you would find th-" "I would not find that preferable, if that's what you were going to say. Take me to see the trolls". The man made a face but did as he was told.

Tony was led by the man to a metal door and into a corridor that looked as if it had been taken from a prison. Dim lighting, cement walls and flooring. Even bars for the outfacing walls. Inside were the trolls, all dressed in matching white shirts and pants. They had been separated by age the blood colour it seemed.  
As Tony walked past the cells, for what could be a better term, he saw one that only had two trolls. It puzzled him for a moment. Then he stopped walking and turned to look again. The trolls were not the same blood colour and one was dressed differently. The smaller one was in a tank top. That troll also looked as if it had been battered. Badly.

Chubby Short guy, as Tony mentally labeled the boss pulled him along. "Those are damaged. You wouldn't want them" he said. He then tried to show him some expensive purple sea bloods. It was not that money was an issue though. "I already have one of those" he said. "Oh. Well. We have some nice Land Purple bloods, as well as a few blood bloods and-" "How are they damaged?" He asked suddenly, ignoring the blue bloods in the cell in front of him. "Oh. The bronze blood has hip problems" the man said, waving his hand. "Rather sad really". "What about the other. The... Red blood?" Chubby Short guy looked disgruntled. "He's not for sale". Tony raised a brow. Taking that as a challenge. "Why would you have a product that's not for sale?" He asked. Chubby Short was glaring and looking as if Tony was annoying him. "He's used to pacify the other trolls".

The billionaire playboy froze. His mind reeled for a moment. "He's used as a whore?" He asked. Chubby Fucker, (Names change) looked insulted and he was glaring more and sweating. "That is an inaccurate term for his service. He's more like a-" "Yes. I suppose you're right. Whores are payed. " "Mr. Stark. If we could get back to the tour..." Tony was no longer amused. He somehow felt dirty and insulted. "I want the Bronze and Red blood". He said bluntly. The fat fuck glared and shook his head. "They are not for sale. If you would like a bronze blood we do have-" "I want those two".

"No".

"Yes".

"No. Mr Stark please-"

"Sell me the trolls or I will buy your entire company and fire all current employees". The man froze. "Yes. Or course Mr Stark. Right away. Will that be cash or check?" Tony smirked. "I'll have my secretary transfer the funds".

Twenty minutes later he realised what he actually had gotten into. He'd bought two new trolls. Two new teenagers, both with medical issues. They were being processed, but any minute now they would be his responsibility.

The small, short bronze blood was the first that was brought out. He was dressed in a green T-shirt with blue jean pants. His smile was small, but very honest. He also had a bad limp. "Hey. What's your name?" Tony asked. The young troll looked up, holding his hands, wringing them. "Um. Uh. Tavros Sir". He looked up and his eyes were hopeful. "You bought me and Red?" He asked. "Yeah. I bought you and Red" Tony said. He then patted the short troll’s head.

A moment later the other troll was brought out. He was even shorter and skinnier then Tavros. He was dressed in a brown shirt and black jeans that had been cut to fit him and a safety-pen. The shirt was too big and hung on his shoulders. He didn't look at Tony. Not at all.

"Hey. Tavros said you were called red. That your-" "Mr. Stark. You payment has gone through. You can-" Tony's death glare shut up Chubby Fuck in an instant. But Tony still grabbed him by the neck, pulling him close. "I was talking. I don't like your voice. Shut up". He then let him go and went back to the small troll. Only to find him gone. Or, apparently just behind Tavros. "Fuck".


	7. The need for green.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When all else fails... Or something like that...
> 
> Call a friend.

He needed Bruce Banner. This was a... Hulk sized problem. Tony hit himself for making that mental pun. But, he did need Banner and that Doctor was in Taiwan. But, he could get Banner back in a few hours of he tried hard enough. Or begged. Begging usually worked. 

\--------------------------------------------

Half a day later Tony was pacing outside the door to the bedroom that he'd put Tavros and Red in. It had only been set up to house one troll. 

He'd still not learned that trolls name. But at least he's got the troll back to the house and in a room. Small wins. Besides, he needed to set up a room for it or... Thor was not around much. He could put Red in there for a few days until he had everything sorted. He had a feeling that small little troll was going to need a carefully crafted room. 

A few more minutes passed before Jarvis alerted him to the arrival of Doctor Banner. "Let him in. Tell him my location" he said, before turning away, listening for the sound of the other. He didn't have to wait long. 

The question was almost immediate. "Tony. What is this emergency that I would be happy to help with? Your dicks not stuck in a pipe is it?" Banners voice rang out. He sounded agitated. Tony turned and smiled at his old friend, going over and putting a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. "No. No. My dicks fine. Take care of any pipe problems myself. Don't wanna intimidate you" he said. Banner rolled his eyes at him and let himself be pulled. "No, this is about my new Trolls... Why'd you stop?" Banner had frozen and the look he gave Tony was very... green. 

"Tell me you didn't. That you're joking and you don't participate in that filthy market. Tell me you don't enslave others!" The look on Tony's face must have informed him that he was not joking because Bruce looked ready to turn when the door opened and Tavros peeked out. Banner froze, then went all doctorey. "Hey. Did we disturb you?" Tavros looked nervous, understandably, but he gave a timid and very endearing smile. "Um. Uh. I was just wondering. Is there any water?" He asked, looking down and grabbing the door for support. "Um. Uh. The. The red blood. He's. Um. He looks like he need it. Please?" He looked up with a look filled with pleading. 

Banners lips thinned and he put a hand on the teens shoulder. "Tony. Go get water." He said. Voice tense. He then crouched a tad until the troll boy was his height. "Can you show me your friend? I am a doctor and would like to look over him" he said. The bronze smiled and nodded. "Yes! I'll show you..." He led Banner inside. Tony was unsure if he should follow. So he did.


	8. Tavros's eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What Tavros thought of it all. A filler. 
> 
> Sorry.

((Earlier that day when Tony goes to the petshop))

 

Tavros was nervous as always. But even more so now! He'd never been in a home, not even once. He'd spent his whole life at one facility or another. When he'd been six years old it had been decided by his then caretaker that he would not be placed until he was a teenager. This was a process done to keep trolls untouched until they were wanted by a crowd that liked unused, but already mature pets. 

He would have been placed at age 12, but his leg problems had started and he'd instead been sold in a rather large shipment to his current location. He liked this place less than his last. 

But. That was all going to change. Because right now, outside his holding place there was a human ARGUING TO BUY HIM! It was as of the small bronze blood was dreaming. Someone wanted him! Damage and all and they KNEW ABOUT THE DAMAGE! 

The 16 year old felt the red blood in his lap flinch and shift. The thin, scarred little troll looked terrified but Tavros didn't understand why. This was good. Soon they would have a home! 

After another few moments the man won and they were bought. Tavros beamed. Red flinched and curled tighter. 

\------------------------------------------------------------

The room was lovely that they had been put in but Red still looked nervous. More than nervous, he looked like he might be sick, never good if one could not open their mouth much. 

It was then Tavros heard his master and another outside. He smiled. "Don't worry. I'll get you water!" He said, before opening the door and peeking out. 

"UM. Uh. I was just wondering. Is there any water?"


	9. Equius and his master

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Equius and a glimpse into his life. 
> 
> Wearing. Mentions of injury, neutoring and botched surgery.

Equius was a lot of things. He was loyal, submissive, intelligent, fast on his feet and book smart. He was a scholar, studying electronics, astronomy, biology, computer science and robotics. He was all these things and more. But, when people saw him. They saw a troll. A pet. Something less than them and Equius saw it too. Sometimes he even felt less the other trolls and it made him feel like a failure. 

Equius's master was a scientist and a roboticist. Because of his profession he was given a permit to hatch a troll instead of having to wait for the troll to reach pupation. For scientific research of course. His master had done a lot of testing and research. Even after pupation Equius's body held the damaged caused by some of that research. But Equius understood that it was his place. He was a troll. An animal. Testing was what people did on animals. 

Equius thought that had to be his fate forever. Then he had discovered that showing intelligence and being helpful made his master treat him better. He'd found that helping in the lap, cleaning up and offering polite, submissive speech caused his life to improve. The then seven year old had latched on for dear life. Using his mind and keeping his place had become his life. 

It was a careful balance.

He had to improve upon designs, write code, build robots... All while not making his master feel inferior or weak. 

A lapse in judgment could earn him a beating, or worse. A failure when unneeded was the same. But a success could also earn him grief and pain. It was a tight rope he tread. 

When Equius had been eight years old he'd snapped and bitten his master during coitus. His master had punished him by having his teeth filed. The operation had been done by a dental surgeon student and it had gone wrong. The scar tissue and damage and resulting infection had healed in such a way as to cause a permanently locked jaw. Equius had only been able to open his mouth part way after that. But he could no longer bite. It was a disorder called Trismus and it was painful. But Equius endured it. Daily pain and stiffness did not make him speak less. But it did make him weigh less. 

Equius had endured a lot. When he's been a newly pupated troll his master had chosen to test a theory. It had been that directly after pupation was the best time to neuter a troll because their body was on a healing cycle and their hormones, causing violence were still mild. This theory had been proven false. A trolls body was not on a healing cycle after pupation. It was on a resting cycle and the neutering had caused an abnormal amount of damage as a result. 

The best time to neuter a troll it turned out, was after age 13, when they entered their fourth life stage. The result of early or late castration or neutering on a trolls temper was still unknown. But the best evidence pointed to the cons of neutering outweighing the benefits. But Equius endured and moved on. 

But, he did protest in his own minor way. He ran a blog on troll health. Posing as a human vet. It was not popular. But there were a few people that loved it. So, at least he felt, he was helping someone.


	10. Sollux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes he's able to forget. Able to laugh and play. But at the end of the day... He's just a troll. Friendless and alone.

The sound of a video game filled the space. It was loud and it filled the room. There was laughter here and cursing as the three figures on a ratty old couch played their multiplayer game. In a battle to the death against a team from Russia. From the Middle form four horns could be seen as he spouted off into the mic in broken Russian. Telling the other team they were going down but fighting hard. 

  


"FUCK. SOLLUX. COVER ME! HEAVY FUCKING FIRE!  HEAVY!" One of the humans on the trolls side shouted as he tried to win. Sollux covered him and then, not long after, they won. "FUCK YES! I RULE!" One boy shouted. "Fuck you BRIAN. YOU ALMOST GOT US KILLED!" The other said, pushing against him. They started to fight across Sollux's lap.

  


The troll tried to move back but got elbowed  the face. "Owe. Come on guyth! The ruththenth want a rematch!" He said, making the brothers stop. The elder, Brian smirked at his brother, Kent. "Fuck yeah. Hey Sol. Go get me a beer buddy" he said, putting the game on single player. "BRIAN!" Kent yelled. His brother pushed him away. 

  


Sollux went to go and get the beer, dunking out of the way and going to the rundown kitchen. "Hmm..." He grabbed a beer only to move back and feel someone behind him. "Hey Sol, let's screw real fast" Kent said, pulling the troll against him. "Thure. Jutht let me give Brian hith beer..." He said, only to get pulled back. "Come on. It will only take a few minutes!" Sollux pulled again. "Thith will take thirty thecindth!" There was a growl. "Sollux. I ain't asking you any more!" Kent said. 

  


Sure enough, less then ten minutes later Sollux was able to give Brian his Beer. "Hey. Where ya going?" Brian asked as he played. "Gonna thower" Sollux said. "Cool". 

  
The teenaged troll left to go and shower. But, as he did he passed an old stain on the carpet. Bright, forever red blood, deep down in that carpet. He'd tried to get it out many times. "... KK... I mithth you tho much..." He whispered, before opening the bathroom door, stepping over the blood. 


	11. Curiosity did what to what?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is Tony and Tony is curious.

Banner kicked Tony out, made him get water and didn't let him back in until he was done. 

Needless to say, this made Tony salty. He pouted and whined like a kid. Banner still ignored him. 

Luckily a distraction was to be had. Jarvis had made the list and Tony started to read it over. He'd also told Jarvis to look into writers and people related to the information to see if and what agenda they had. 

"Jarvis... Where is The-Royal-Vet located? Do they have a clinic?" He asked, rather liking that particular bloggers posts. 

"I am not sure yet Sir. That writer is hard to trace". 

"Odd. Get on it then. Keep me updated" Tony said when the doorbell rang. 

"Eridans clothing is here. I took the liberty of ordering a few things for the other boys as well". 

"I love you Jarvis. Have them brought up. But I'll sort them". He needed something to do after all. 

"Oh and Jarvis?" 

"Yes Sir?"

"Look into any and all trolls I own through either my company or a third party. Also, look into where I get my supplies... You know what. Look into my employees too"

"Yes Sir".


	12. Gamzee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people know many curse words. Some use the same ones over and over again. 
> 
> Then again, you tend to act like those you're raised with.

"Honk."

"Shut it"

"Honk."

"ShUT it"

"HoNk."

"SHUTT itttt"

"HONK."

A pill bottle flew through the air. "SHUT IT RETARD!"

Gamzee looked over from his pillow nest. "Whoa... Don't hit a brother". 

His master glared, already high as a fucking kite. "Ya ain't my brother!" The man said, tossing a pillow this time. 

"I'm your brother from another mother. Mother fucker. And you mother fucking know it". 

The beer bottle missed him by about an inch. 

"I ain't gonna clean that shit up". 

"FUCK YOU FUCKING GRAY ASS FREAK!" 

"PINK DOUGH MOTHER FUCKER!" 

His master flew at him to attack. He was brutal. But Gamzee was strong and as high as his master. 

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE JOSH?! WHY AREN'T YOU AT WORK?!" His master's mother screeched from the door. "DO YOU WANNA GET FIRED AFTER ONE WEEK?!"

Both males stared at her, stalk still. "No". They said in unison. 

"THEN GET DRESSED AND GET TO WORK!" 

Gamzee helped his master get ready before he did. 

He hated the ugly ass yellow vest he wore, but he was a service animal after all. It was mandatory. 

"I fucking hate the motherfucking mailroom" Josh said. 

"Why do you hate it fucker? All you fucking do is the cart." 

"Shut it motherfucker". 

"Honk"

"Shut-"

"-HONK"

"SHUT UP MOTHER FUCKER!!!"

"HONK. HONK. HONK. HOOOOOONK!"

 

The two caught a taxi to Stark Enterprises and Josh's job in the mail room.


	13. Banner Bandages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Look. Plot! 
> 
> Tavros speaks to Banner.

Tavros was worried about Red. The short, emaciated troll was acting even more off than usual. 

Because of how Tavros was raised, he had not been exposed to a large number of things.

One of those things was a panic attack brought on by PTSD. 

Red was hissing. 

He was glaring and his pierced lips were bleeding. 

The small troll had wedged himself between the bed and the bedside table. 

Banner was on his knees, already scraped and bloodied by the troll, trying to get him to calm. 

"Shh. It's ok. I just need you to calm down. I'm not gonna hurt you." The doctor's eyes were very worried. 

"Umm. Red? Buddy... You... You should listen. Listen to the... The doctor". 

Those red eyes looked over, darting to Tavros's brown ones. His eyes showed pure fear. 

Banner saw an opportunity and he seized it. Red never saw the needle. Didn't even seem to feel it. 

"Is he... Dead?" Tavros asked, horrified as Red keeled over. 

"No. No. Just asleep, see? He is breathing." Banner said, lifting the thin creature easily. 

"He was panicking. This way I can look over his wounds" Banners eyes did not leave Reds body as he slowly undressed the troll. But he did keep up a steady stream of talk to calm Tavros. 

"I am looking over his open wounds. What can you tell me about how he lives and what he does? Do you know where the wounds came from?" He spoke as he worked. 

Tavros bit his lip, nervous. "Uh. Umm. He... He was kept in the Warden's office. In a small... Little dog box..." Tavros had seen kennels before but did not know their name. 

"The guards would bring him out and... Pound him and umm... Then he would do his job. Usually... He didn't work one day..." He said. "Are you a green blood?"

Banner was trying to keep it in. "No. No. Just a medical condition... What was his job...?" Banner had his suspensions as he looked over that body. 

"P... Pounding and... Shoosh Papping...." 

"I see. Were you ever pounded?" Banner asked as he got out cleaners, bandages and other things. The talking focused him. 

"Oh. No. I didn't pound Red ether. He just... Keeps me company sometimes. As a reward." He said. 

"Ok. Tavros. Are you hurt?" He asked. 

"No. I'm not..." 

"Good. Can you please go and find Tony? That's... That's the guy who brought the water. He'll show you a new friend" 

Tavros nodded. He didn't want to leave Red, but he did what he was told.


	14. Hemo what?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brown and purple. 
> 
> Wait, what's a hemospectrum?
> 
> ((I still need a beta))

Tavros was sitting on a couch, staring at the wall next to the TV. His master (!) had left to go and find someone called Eridan. Eridan sounded like a troll name. 

Tavros would have been more nervous about meeting a new troll, but he was already busy being worried about being on furniture. His training facility had never allowed him on the furniture. 

No trolls had been allowed. 

Furniture was weird. 

"This is... Tavros. Tavros...? Meet Eridan" Tony's voice rang out, causing Tavros to stand up, causing his leg to shake for a minute. 

Eridan was intimidating. He was tall, lean, with a wicked smile. But fair worse. 

He was a sea troll. 

A PURPLE BLOOD. 

Tavros turned pure grey with fear. The blood draining from his face. 

The sea troll smiled, showing his teeth and holding out a hand. 

"Hey, my names Eridan. Wwhats up? Nice horns".

Tavros stared at that hand. He then looked away. Scared. 

Eridans hand fell and his smile vanished. "Wwhat evver..." He then took a seat. 

Tavros still stood, nervous. 

"Uh. Everything ok here?" Tony asked, walking over to Tavros and looking at Eridan. 

"He's a browwn blood. I'm a sea dweller. He wwon't talk to me..." He looked hurt almost. But shrugged it off. 

"What... Does that have to do with it?" Tony asked, sighing and taking a seat. He pulled Tavros down next to him.

"The hemospectrum... Cast system. It's in our blood... The colours...." He said. Tavros nodded. 

"Well. You're gonna have to get over it. No fighting. No... Avoiding each other" Tony said, matter of fact. "Eridan an't gonna hurt you Tavi". 

Tavros looked up at Tony, then at Eridan before he spoke. 

"... I've never spoken to... A purple blood before... Umm. I don't know what to say..." 

Eridan smiled. "Wwell... You can say hello. Or, your highness.." 

"Don't call him Highness Tav. He's joking..." Tony cut in. 

"Eridan. Why don't you show Tavros the computer and help him pick out some nice clothes?" 

Tony then got up and grabbed a bottle of Scott and uncorked it. 

Eridan pulled Tavros up. "Follow" he ordered.


	15. Questions and answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Question everything. Question nothing.

The first thing he noticed when he woke up was the bright light. 

The next thing was a total lack of pain. 

The third was that someone was touching him. 

He hissed through clenched lips, red rimmed eyes turning to look at whoever was touching him. But he didn't resist. 

It was the weird man from before. The one who asked. 

ASKED. 

No one asked him things. They told and they forced. Asking was for humans or spoiled trolls. 

He hated being asked. Asking meant that one had to reply and replays could be wrong. Replies meant possible anger and pain. 

"Hey, how are you feeling?" The doctor asked, warm eyes concerned. It was a lie it had to be. No one was concerned for him. 

No one but Sol. 

Yellow eyes filled his mind and he moaned out in mental pain. 

The doctor put his hands on him. So he stopped. 

"Are you still in pain? Where..." The doctor then stopped. He grabbed some water. "Here... Drink. I... I removed those rings..." The doctor looked away as he took the water. "You can probably feel that..."

The troll had not noticed. But he licked his inner lips, feeling the empty holes. He then drank the water with a vengeance. 

It had been so long since he had been able to open his mouth. It felt like heaven. 

"What's your name?" The doctor liked to ask questions it seemed. The human then signed, rubbing his temple. He looked pained. 

"...Tell me your name". 

That got a response. It was not a question. It put him at ease. 

"Karkat." 

"Karkat Vantas".


	16. Damned

Banner felt his heart both pound and ache. An an sensation but not one that was fully uncommon to him. It was how he felt when dealing with situations like the one he found himself in currently. 

Damned if he did and damned if he didn't. 

He needed Karkat to open up and tell him where and how he was injured so he could treat him. 

But he also needed the troll to feel safe and to calm down. Panic attacks were legitimate medical conditions and never should be taken lightly. Karkat looked on the verge of one. 

To make matters complicated, in order to get Karkat to tell him where and how he was injured he would need to order him to talk. Ordering could cause him to feel unsafe. 

Damned. 

The troll was staring, under his lashes, skeptically, from across the room, under the desk. 

When had he moved? Banner didn't know. But he needed to make a choice. So he did. As much as it pained him. 

"Come here. I need to finish my evaluation. Tell me where anything hurts". 

The glare he got was spectacular in how damning it was.


	17. Oh for art thou Alternian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some filler

“WWHAT DID YOU PRESS?! Where is the WWEB PAGE?!” 

Tavros flinched and shook in fear as Eridan stood behind him at the computer. 

“YOU BROKE IT. YOU FUCKING BROKE IT YOU SHIT BLOOD BASTARD!”

Eridan was fuming at the frozen screen. 

“YOU… I…” Eridan started to hyperventilate and twitch. “YOU FUCK!”

Eridan was terrified that Master was going to be pissed at him. That he was going to get in trouble. 

The purple blood knew, in his very blood, that he was responsible for those under him. Those lesser. Tavros was his problem and Tavros fucked up.

His eyes flashed. “I’ll ki-”

The screen changed and went back to the website. The voice came out of the walls. “I am sorry Eridan, Tavros. There was a slight issue. It is fixed now”. The polite voice said. In truth Jarvis had just chosen to manage it for them now. 

The two calmed down and quickly went back to work. 

 

Meanwhile at Stark Enterprises Mailroom. 

“Mother fucker… How do I do this shit again?” Gamzees raspy voice rang out. 

“I don't know fucking freak. Let me sleep…” 

“I an't allowed to push the cart…” The paper weight hit the wall and knocked over a stack of mail. “I an't picking that up.” 

Meanwhile at the lab with Equius and his owner. 

“Equius, where is my tie?” The tall man asked. His hulking frame towered over lanky teen in the cracked glasses. “I have a meeting over Skype with Ms. Potts of Stark Enterprises.” 

Equius unfortunately was not listening, deep in concentration as he wired the interior of a robot. The next thing he felt was a sharp pain and a crash. His owner had decked him across the head.


	18. A blogging day's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone leaves a comment on Equius's blog asking about neutering. 
> 
> He answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might be triggering. 
> 
> I am not a vet and don't know all about biology. I tried.

It's a strange feeling to look in the mirror and compare your body to someone else's of the same age, sex and build. To look at your body and notice it's not developing the same way as the others. It's softer. It's less toned. It's… Wrong.

It's a stranger feeling to read what's happening to others and know that that won't happen to you. Not ever.

Not because of a disease or accident but because someone chose to stop it. Someone chose to mutilate you long before you could even protest. Before you could even talk and there will never be a cure. 

But that strange feeling was what Equius was feeling as he sat at the computer. And that strange feeling fed the hole inside his chest. The void already there. 

Equius had avoided this subject like the plague. But then a commenter had asked a question on his blog. A simple question. 

-Zazzy1991- What is th diffirence between a full neuter and a partial? I just got a troll an my mum keeps telling me to get it fixed but thier is 2 kinds. 

The question was one he should have known the answer too. But he didn't. He'd never looked because it hurt his stomach. 

As he sat at the computer his hand traced over his spine. It did feel slightly curved… He then started to write his reply. 

-TheRoyalVet- @Zazzy1991. Dear Zazzy, I would be happy to answer your question. While the subject is not studied extensively as of yet, there are well documented key differences between the two approaches you mentioned. 

On the purely physical surgical side a partial castration, also known as a Rursus Faciem, is the removal of the Bulge or the Troll penis. A full castration, Rursus Totam, is removal of the bulge, along with the seed sack, cartelization of nerves and removal of the sensitive tissues along and inside the Nook or vaginal opening. A size reduction of the nook may also be performed. (Vaginoplasty). 

On the mental and physical side, partial castration will stop the troll from being able to penetrate a potential partner. It will also cause underdevelopment of the nook and has been shown to prolong puberty. It does not stop aggression. (Only proper training and communication will). A full castration will stop puberty in its entirety. Female trolls will not grow breasts and will be more masculine in appearance. The spine may become more curved and there will be no sexual attraction present.

Side effects might be a higher chance of some cancers, diseases due to scar tissues, mood and physical ailments and the long term effects are still unknown. 

At this time I can not recommend a full castration and would advise against a partial as it causes unnecessary pain and discomfort. 

Pleased to be of help. 

The Royal Vet. 

Equius turned off the computer and looked away. His mind wondering. He wondered sometimes what it would have felt like, to be attracted to someone. To have a Matesprit or even a Kismesis. He then pushed that thought away. It was no use wondering about what would never be. 

Not when his spine might get worse.


	19. Kurloz and 83 years.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurloz.
> 
> Next chapter will had plot, I swear on this soda can... ((I'll try ok?))

Kurloz, or as his Master called him Rex, was 83 years old today. Not that anyone cared, but the troll always took note of his birthday. He didn’t look a day over 20 and was unsure how long he’d live for...But he had seen a few other trolls get old and die. It had been painful to watch. Sometimes he was scared he would live forever. He didn’t want that. In truth he often wished he were dead. It was not that he wanted to kill himself, he just wanted his life to be over. He was tired. 

Kurloz had been born in the great depression and sold at an auction for a very reasonable price. The man who had bought him had been a farmer and had treated Kurloz as little more the a mule or other working animal. If the boy had not done well, he was beat and starved. If he did well, some times he was still not fed. 

He had been lucky in the fact that his Master had not realised that he could fuck his pet too until Kurloz was around 14 years old. Nothing had really changed for the boy then, other then he had a new chore he had to do. 

Everyday from dusk until dawn he’d been chained up in the barn after working the fields. Some times his Master would fuck him late at night on top of the hay, but that was only in warm weather. His life had been hard, but simple. 

In spring he tilled the fields, fed the livestock, tended the garden and planted seeds. He usually got fed once a day or so and he’d sneak a few veggies and the like. He’d not been above stealing from the pigs. If he got caught, he would he hung by his wrists and whipped. It didn’t stop him. 

In summer it was more of the same, but the nightly visits got more often. 

In fall it was always hard. He had to harvest the field, pick the fruits, help with the processing and butchering. The food got better, but he was beat more as his Master's temper got worse. 

This pattern had lasted until his Master's wife died of a fever in 1941. His Master started drinking, his three sons all went to war, one never came back. The man had gone into a depression. After a few months though he had brought Kurloz inside and gave him a cookbook and pantry. Kurloz had learned to cook quite fast after his Master took to caning him. In 1945 one son came home from the war. It was never known what happened to his brother. Two years later His first master drunk himself to death. 

His second master, the first master's son had also been a hard man. He had also brought back clamidia from the war. The disease was transmissible from humans to trolls, but not from trolls to humans as Kurloz found out. It was quite a painful disease at times. But Kurloz lived through it and through the man's two son’s and and the one that became his new master and the one after that and the son after that. 

His current master was 35, a drunk, meth addict and divorce. He, unlike his father, grandfather and great grandfather had never gone to war or even finished high school. He’s always been violent, but Kurloz was used to it by that point. 

His master beat him without warning, forced him to do demeaning things, wait on him hand and foot and laughed when he thought the troll was unhappy. 

Kurloz had never been a vocal man, but he’d flat out stopped speaking about 15 years before and no one had seemed to notice. He didn’t even let out sounds when he was beat or raped. He knew it was rape, he’d seen enough TV and he knew he didn’t want it. But it didn’t matter. He couldn't do anything about it. His life was an endless circle of pain…

Until that day his master came home, shaking some cash and saying he’d sold him. Kurloz had never been sold and, for some unknown reason, deep in the hollow where his heart had been...he felt hope.

Could this be a birthday present? He'd never gotten one before.


	20. Kankri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 3:00 AM update. 
> 
> Plot, Anger and one very bored boy.

It had been three days and Bruce was STILL not talking to him! Tony thought he was going to go insane!

The man knew he'd not explained himself well and what he had said had only made the good doctor greenish but still! He was Tony GOD FUCKING DAMN IT Stark! He did STUPID things all the time and BANNER KNEW THAT!

Tony felt deeply ashamed of himself. But not for buying the boys. No. He was ashamed he'd never looked into trolls. He was ashamed he'd been so blind as to listen to the media. He was ashamed he scared Tavros and Karkat, more than once, as the boys were so timid. And he HATED himself for what he did to Eridan. He knew he'd never forgive himself.

So Tony understood why BANNER was mad. He did. The doctor knew Tony well enough to understand that somewhere, some HOW sex was involved. But Tony was also pretty sure that Bruce was just mad at the world as well.

The doctor couldn't sleep and seemed to always look like he might break down and he was almost ALWAYS with Karkat. But, Tony felt that too and he wasn't even allowed alone with Karkat.

Tony needed a drink and he had paperwork to look over from Jarvis.

*************

“Karkat? Please come out… Karkat… I'm not going to hurt you…” Banner was on his hands and knees, looking under the shirt table at a glaring Karkat. The teen was being difficult today as he was everyday. But Banner was really trying to get the boy to trust him.

“Umm. Uh. Mister Doctor Bruce… Sir? Umm….” Tavros was sitting on a chair close by in the room that had been set up by Bruce and Miss Potts for the two. “Umm. Why don't you just… tell him too? He… he's not trying to be bad…” the brownbloods voice fell a little as he knew he was lying. Red knew he was being bad. The troll had been testing the doctor all morning. Red wanted the man to snap. Tavros knew that.

But so did Banner. “Karkat is a person, like me and you Tavros… we don't treat people like dogs.” Bruce didn't even treat dogs badly, but the simili was the best he could think of. “Karkat… you know you're safe… right?” Bruce was getting tired but at the moment his will was like iron. HE WOULD NOT SNAP. He could NOT.

Karkat just started and then turned around. He was not coming out and he was not bathing, or eating or WHATEVER THE FUCK THE BASTARD WANTED HIM TO DO! HE WAS NOT PLAYING THIS SICK FUCKING ASS WORD GAME. Karkat knew humans were evil. He was not some poor idiot like Tavros but he would show the other. He'd PROVE human’s real nature to the kid.

Because Karkat knew in his very soul.

Humans SUCKED ASS and they'd use, abuse and eventually kill them all.

************

Kankri was owned by a shady escort company that was owned by a conglomerate group that managed such companies that was owned by a parent business that was a direct Stark Industries subsidiary. Stark Industries owned 47% of the shares of the parent company.

Kankri was the only troll on staff and was marketed as an employee. His title was ‘companion animal’ and he could be rented by the hour.

He'd never left the room he was kept in. At least, not according to his memory.

In the room there was a bed, a closet, a desk and chair and a screened off area with a shower and toilet. The floor was curved and cement and there was a drain in it.

There was no TV. No books and the only window was too high to see out of. But Kankri didn't know what he was missing.

He had a ball and some jacks along with a pen and some old lube bottles he hid and he'd occupy himself by playing with them. He knocked the bottles down with the ball and he'd been taught how to play jacks. The pen he also used as a random toy. Sometimes he used to draw on himself but the pen had run out of ink.

The boy knew to hide the pen and bottles or they'd be thrown away. But he liked them.

The boy did not know where the men that came in came from and he didn't think about it really. If he had been asked to explain the world he'd have described a place like his room. Just many of them.

He wasn't educated. He never tried to escape and he liked praise. But he did like to talk!

He'd make up stories about his pen falling through the rooms and floating in colours or in waters. He'd imagine words he knew but never seen, like stars or cars or ladies and he'd tell himself about them. He knew he was not supposed to talk to the customers that came in and usually they didn't like him to talk. So he listened. But the customers that came a lot would appear in his stories, along with the things they said, or did.

He'd also touch himself, trying to figure out why the men liked to. Why some hurt him and some didn't like him hurt at all. Why some went inside his body and others just cuddled. He thought long and hard on it but he didn't understand.

Men had said he made them feel good and they released semen. Kankri knew that. But Kankri didn't feel like they looked when he touched himself or when he was touched. It just felt like touching normal skin, or maybe something sensitive… like in his ears or up his nose.

It confused him so he'd try and touch himself to get good feelings. Or he'd do it out of boredom. He was usually bored.

Sometimes he'd try and look out the window, but the chair did not move and he could not scale the wall. He wanted to see where the sun light came from. He assumed a bright room.

Kankri was uneducated but he wanted to know everything and he wanted to tell everyone everything.

Why was he grey?

What was a troll?

How old was he?

Why did he know worlds he'd never heard or seen?

What were letters?

Why did men like him?

When was dinner?

What was a horse?

Where was a moon?

Why didn't he have nipples?

Why DID humans have them.

What was a human?

Was he a big boy? He thought he was tiny compared to the men.

If he was a boy, what were girls and boys?

… Why was he always left alone?

… Why did men touch him?

… … … Why did he exist?

He shook off thoughts that troubled him and sung little made up sounds or songs he'd heard sung.

That was life for him.  
It was confusing.

But the most important thing he didn't know was that he was technically owned by Stark Industries. He didn't know one Anthony Stark had just learned of his existence. And he didn't know that the yelling outside the door would change his whole life.

************

Tony had woken up, drank coffee then learned of Kankri’s existence. His first, and closest troll case that he could easily take care of. Well… page one and Jarvis had suggested he start there.

Tony had informed Bruce and was driving to pick the boy up. And he was PISSED by what Jarvis had summarised.

Apparently the company isolated the 'prepubescent' troll purposely to give him a “sweet demeanour”. No wonder Jarvis had put him at the top.

“Sir, I have called Orchard escorts and they have agreed to hand over the boy and his file. ETA is 14 minutes”.

“Got it. Fired the bastards yet?”

“I will as soon as the boy is safely collected Sir”.

“Oh. Fuck. Yeah. Thank you”.

“At your service Sir. Watch out for that cyclist”.


	21. Let the bell ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Horuss has been waiting for the bell to ring...
> 
> Even if it rings less and less...
> 
> (Hope you guys like it. PG chapter)

The Daymond Hotel opened in 1881 in New York city, near the Upper East Side of the city. It served mostly the upper classes or their associates. It was a very posh and proper place, yet it never seemed to pionear anything or was it the site of any major events or all that memorable, unless your name was Horuss Zahhak. 

If your name was Horuss Zahhak, then the Daymond Hotel was the site of almost every major event that had ever happened to you. Everything but your birth and intal sale. 

 

********************************

Horuss was in his room in the basement of the Hotel, spinning a penny. His blue eyes watched as it spun again and again. 

Spin,  
Clack,  
Spin,  
Clack,

Again and again, 

Over and over…

The man was bored, so very bored. It was not that he disliked down time, it was just he had already done the things he’d been putting off. Not that he ever really let anything get out of hand. He liked order, it made him feel as if he had control. Not that he needed control...or deserved it it was just…

The troll groaned and spun the coin again. 

He had found it under his bed post when he moved it and the frame to clean that area. It had gotten stuck between the floorboards and he had pried it out with his fork. He had wondered what had happened to the coin.

It was the only coin he had ever been given and he remembered the day, time and person who had given him it. It had been a little girl in 1906. The penny was an old one her mother had given her for candy. She had asked Horuss if he liked the candy that had been on sale nearby. He had told her the truth, that he had never had it. She had looked so shocked, before she had put that penny in his hand and made him take it. “Buy some candy when you find the time” she had said, before running off. 

Horuss had never found the time. He never left the hotel and the shop had been down the street. Well, he had never left the shop during the day and even his night wanderings had stopped by the 1930’s. 

He had never found the time, but he kept the coin. At the time he had feared he would get in trouble for having it, even if she had given it to him. Later he just failed to see the point of it. Then he’d put it aside and subsequently lost it. He was not sure how many years it had been gone. But finding it was nice. 

Horuss shook off the memory and picked up the coin, turning to his wardrobe and opening it before taking out a small box. The box had a few old things, a flower he’d found, a strip of faded once white cloth, an old photo of someone long dead and a stone. He put the coin in the box. He then put the box away and stood, looking over his room. 

His room had never been considered large. It was maybe 10 by 15 feet. But with just his wooden bed, his old, thin wardrobe and his bedside desk with its lamp...It was a fine amount of space. Horuss liked his room. He had had it for 100 years, give or take and it had been re-floored and refurbished only once. Horuss tried to keep everything in good working order. 

There was also a bell by the door, a bell Horuss truly hoped would ring. He wished for something to do. It had rung less and less over the years as humans moved on from seeing trolls as slaves and started to see them as animals. Horuss had been told he made some people feel uncomfortable and others worried about the health factor of having an ‘animal’ in a hotel. Some people even feared him. 

But it truly made for a boring time. 

It was also scary to think that one day, maybe soon, Horuss would be completely forgotten. A relic of an era long past and unneeded. 

But not today. 

“Ring. Ring” 

Today the bell rang.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a talk-oholic troll, a tired Bruce and an overworked Tony. 
> 
> Also, a cliff hanger... that means I'll have to update!!
> 
> ((Probably soon))

Banner could not believe he'd ever feel so conflicted about something so… he didn't have a word for it. He just forced a tired smile. He would NOT retract his promise… he just could not believe Kankri had so much to say. 

 

He was never telling a seven year old they could talk to him about anything at any time… ever again. 

 

How did Kankri breath? 

 

At least it helped keep him busy for the medical examination...

 

***********************************************  
Kankri was so excited!! He had never been out before and there was so much to see! Besides, the nice pale man had PROMISED that he could say ANYTHING and he had so much to say! 

 

“Oh. Look mister Banner sir. Look! There is another weird spot! That one looks like a… hmm. An ant. It also looks like an ant. Oh! Another ANT! Do you think there are ants here? I like ants. There were so many ants where I lived but where I lived it was brown. Well, the walls were brown… sort of brown in the day but darker at night… isn't it funny that light makes colours change? I think that light makes all colours change and-”

 

Kankri was so happy as he spoke about all he knew.   
**********************************************  
Tony was reading through his files, humming as he looked at the next few cases. He could fix them, but they were overseas and he didn't want to take kids from their homes… Jarvis suggested a few shelters and the like that were already located in the countries and Tony started to look into them.

 

He should start a local shelter… that seemed like a good idea. One for the more extreme cases, like Karkats. What had happened to the boy made Tony's blood boil. The scars… the anger and mistrust. Tony wanted to make sure no kid ever went through what Karkat had. 

 

After dealing with the three factories in France and Germany he moved on to the last one. It was in Cambodia and it was problematic. There was only one troll, but there were NO shelters. NOT ONE!! Tony groaned. It was true that there were not many trolls in the country as they all had to be imported… but.. NOT ONE!? IN THE COUNTRY? 

 

He groaned and looked at the little blurry picture on the file. “Jarvis, clean it up… is there any more information?” He asked. Jarvis did as asked, before speaking. 

 

“There is no more information but what I already told you on her file. However from what I can extrapolate, she was brought by a former manager whom died. The girl looks to be around 7 years old and appears to be a pink blood”. 

 

Tony nodded and sighed, looking at the little girl with her large eyes and big smile. She looked friendly. 

 

“Pay to have her brought here… just… have Pep arrange it…” he said. 

 

He then groaned, looking at the time before he picked up another paper he should have just had this on a stark pad… it would have it transferred… sleepy brain him apparently had a paper fetish…

 

His eyes fell onto the paper and as he saw the photo, he screamed...


	23. BOOM.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THUNDER STRIKES!!!
> 
> ((What? Couple hours is soon... I post when I have chapters... I don't hold them hostage... just... they don't come much...)

“I… well… I KNOW PEP… but… I DIDN’T ENDORSE IT! WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM? A MONSTER?!” Tony was holding that picture and screaming into his phone in a shocked and disgusted rage at what the picture showed. 

 

There was an adult troll, hung up by his wrists with needles and tubes coming from all over his body. The troll's eyes were sparking as the man in the image appeared to be screaming in pain. Blood even shot from the red and blue eyes trolls mouth. 

 

It truly looked like the poor man was being tortured. Under the image was written “subject number 13”. There was more information in the file and the more Tony read, the sicker he got. 

 

This troll… it was in the city, in one of HIS research labs and he'd used the results of the research gained from the… the TORTURE of that troll!

 

Tony was going to to be sick. Pep didn't sound happy ether at least. “OK. OK. Just… just… I'm gonna go put a stop to it and…”

 

CRACK  
BOOM  
BASH

 

“SON OF STARK!” 

 

Tony turned and saw Thor. “... I'm still going. Tell them I'll be there by 4:00. Just… tell them it's an inspection… I need to find out what's going on.” Pepper had heard Thor and she understood. 

 

“Hey Thor… look, things are really busy right now and-” Thor took the photo from Tony, having spotted it. 

 

The gods eyes went wide. “What hath been done to this Alternian?!” His voice held anger, but no assumption. Thor knew in his heart that his friend Stark was good and he would never commit such an action. 

 

“How… I thought the Alternian’s extinct… there had been no sign of them in many a year…” Thor felt pain as he looked at the image. The alternians had been a good, strong warrior race. 

 

“Their… their ships vanished from the sky's and…” he trailed off, before looking to a shocked Tony. 

 

“We must find this man”. 

 

The look in Tony's eyes said that he had so much to say and… he was shocked. 

 

“Hey Tony I can't get this to wwork…” Eridan trailed off as the new Conner turned around. That guy was massive! “Oh. Uhh… he… hello…”

 

“THERE ARE MORE ALTERNANS?!”


	24. Rage coloured glasses.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is still self mutilation if it's done to protect one's self? What if it's done to someone else...? That question haunts Rufioh. 
> 
> Also, the entrance to the lab.

It hurt so much and Rufioh had already been sick twice due to pain but it had to be done. It had too. 

The brown blood hit the sink and splattered there along with the drool the escaped his mouth from where it was held open by the wooden spoon he was biting on to keep from screaming. He really wished that he could have taken more drugs for the pain, but he needed to be coherent or he might injure himself worse, it had happened before. 

The troll looked up at his image, his blood shot yellow eyes meeting his reflections as he dragged that bone file across where his horns had slowly started to grow in again. He needed them gone...why did they keep growing? 

It hurt so FUCKING MUCH. 

The troll's hands were covered in brown blood and bits of orange horn flakes. Troll horns were orange all the way to the center, no white in them...most people didn’t know that, but Rufioh did. 

There was a sound behind him and he looked to the side in the mirror. His little baby had such fear in her eyes. “Rufioh...you...you OK?” She asked, her rust coloured eyes shining with unshed tears. He just nodded, swallowing a scream. 

He would have to do her next, but he’d knock her out for that. She didn’t need to feel it as it was happening. It would hurt as it healed, but...this part hurt the worst. 

It was horrible and dirty and it made Rufioh feel like the worst sort of person but…

It had to be done. 

They had to appear human and…

Horns weren't human. 

************************************************************************************************

It had taken longer than Tony wanted to think about before Thor seemed to understand that they would TALK ABOUT IT LATER. THERE WERE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT. Thor still had questions, but upon learning that the troll in the image was still alive and..the image had been taken very, very recently. 

On the bright side, Eridan had not caught sight of the image and had been pacified with a lie that Tony had been yelling about work...or, more likely, he chose to pretend he believed the lie. 

Eridan was usually pretty agreeable when it came to humans. Trolls… eh… He appeared to be but Tony was pretty sure it was a lie. 

“Thor, the car is here...let's go and please...just… keep quiet unless I ask for you help.” he said. Thor crossed his arms. “I do know how to behave in times that require delicacy… My mother did not raise a fool” He said. 

The drive to the building was not quiet. Tony was catching the god up, his head hurt more. Thor looked pissed. “We’re here… Now. Come on”. 

The walk through the white building and down to the bottom floors was quiet, no one bothered Tony. They all knew who he was and had been informed by Jarvis that he was coming so there were no surprises. The look of strangled rage on his face probably helped with the wide berth...that or the look of stone cold anger on Thors…

Maybe a mix? 

Once they got to the bottom level, the testing area Tony used his retina scan and the password to gain clearance. There the lead scientist was already waiting for him. 

“Mister Stark, welcome to the alternate-biological energy sources department. I am Doctor Stevens and this is-” Tony held up a hand. “I know who you are. Now, show me your research, starting with the subjects” He said, glaring over the two tall, skinny scientists. Doctors John Stevens and Mary Johnson. They looked like the unethical science types… all business and hard eyes. Or maybe that was just how Tony saw them, through rage covered glasses. Karkat’s face flashed through his mind and Eridan's stricken face...the one the teen tried to hide from everyone. It was them that gave Tony the strength to put on a brave, fake smile and put an arm around Doctor Johnson’s shoulders. 

“I hear you use trolls...how does that work?” 

The doctors smiled and started to exsplain.


	25. Drugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lab...
> 
> Sorry it's poorly written. I'm sleepy. 
> 
> Also, old chapters now have impeded picks. Go check it out.

The two lead scientists lead the way and showed off the… fish. Then the alge, then… fish again. 

 

Ok, it was eels. But still!

 

Tony was grinding his teeth in frustration but he pretended to carry on his interest. 

 

Thor was less subtle. He growled, crossing his arms. “The trolls. The man of Iron did not come to see… Electric eels” he said. Doctor Johnson sighed and put her hand into doctor Steven’s shoulder. “They are the best part…” she smiled, a glint in her eyes.

 

“Mister Stark. Did you know that yellow blooded trolls produce electricity?” She asked, tapping her fingers on a doorway. “This way”. The other doctor followed her and seemed irritated that she was taking his thunder. 

 

The next door to the hallway was heavily locked and coded. It took about 15 seconds to open but once inside it…

 

It reminded Tony of the Trolls R Us place. It was dim, with cement walls and cells. Only these cells had glass outer facing walls instead of bars and there was laboratory equipment in some of the rooms. 

 

“Right now we only have two subjects-” she started, only to have Steven’s cut in. “One. The other troll sustained some sort of injury and can currently not be used for testing.” He looked at Tony as if hopeful. 

 

He wanted another troll. Tony knew it and he felt sick. “I see. Well, show me both… subjects” he said, feeling Thor glare behind him. He flashed another smile. 

 

The woman smiled back, but Doctor Stevens looked… suspicious. “This way Mister Stark. Our first subject is over here… oh. They both are”. 

 

On the other side of the glass inside a lab room there were a few kennels. One of them held the troll from the image. 

 

The troll was tall and thin, but not anorexic, with hard and yet broken eyes, one blue and the other red. He stared out at the humans, leaning against the iron netting. Sitting on the ground, outside the cage, for that's what it was, sat a small, very skinny and young little troll with twin horns on his head. Tony looked back at the adult and stared between the two. 

 

“Where are his horns?” He asked. The image had also not had horns. But why? 

 

Tony had a sickening feeling. 

 

“They were removed for safety reasons. We had a subject try to impale a former employee once” Doctor Johnson said, waving her hand. “It's not painful to them. The horns are basically like a fingernail”. She looked down at her own as if to make a point. 

 

Tony almost lost it at that. He knew that was a lie. He'd seen Tavros bump one of his horns against a door and cry in pain. He'd seen Eridan sit and calm a pissed and scared Karkat into a relaxed puddle in under two minutes by petting just his horns and he'd touched Kankri’s and had the boy actually pur and THANK HIM for not pulling on then… because pulling hurt. 

 

Pulling… banging. The horns were full of nerve endings. 

 

“Oh. Good to know… can I go and see them closer?” He asked, but didn't wait for a reply. He opened the door, much to the surprise of both scientists. “Hey! How did you…!?” Stevens protested. Mister Stark didn't have clearance! 

 

Tony didn't say anything in reply and Thor blocked the door so the two could not enter. He knew what Tony wanted. At least in this. Then again, Thor worked well in groups Tony had found. 

 

The billionaire walked over to the occupied cage and stared at the two. The child looked to be Kankri’s age and was very skinny, but a little taller then the red blooded boy. His back hair was in his face, covering his eyes but when Tony came close he laughed out loud and reached up, gurgling. His arms were covered in needle marks. Tony didn't know why, but he picked the kid up and the boy cuddled in, skin freezing to the touch. He then met the adults eyes. 

 

“I know you can talk, so let's cut the bull shit. Can you safely leave this facility?” He asked. 

 

The troll's eyes went wide for a second and his eyes weakly sparked. “... I think I can. I am currently on sseveral drugss that… cause problemss but…” he trailed off. His voice was weak and he sagged against the cage. He also had so many needle marks. “I do not know what they are… why… where are you going to take me?” the troll struggled to say the s sound Tony noticed, but brushed it off. 

 

“I'm going to take you home. To my home… why they are doing here… it's unethical. It's…” he shook his head. “What's your name?” He asked. 

 

“They call me.. the Psiionic…” he said eyes alighting. He was oddly trusting Tony noticed. He also smelt like medication. 

 

“What about you little guy… what's your name?” He asked the child. The boy didn't say a thing. 

 

“It's… Mituna. Hiss name iss Mituna… he… the drugss they give him… they messs with hiss mind…” the Psiionic trailed off there, winching. 

 

“I'll get you out… just… hang tight for a minute… you guys the only trolls here?” He asked. The Psiionic nodded. “Yeah… Minicx died…” 

 

Tony just nodded and pushed past Thor. “So, he's interesting… now” his face then turned hard. 

 

“You're going to tell me ALL the medications and drugs you have these two on, or I'm going to not only fire you, but make sure you both go to jail for a long time”. 

 

Both doctors took a step back, eyes wide. “Mister STARK! I-”  
“WHAT?! YOU HAVE NO-”

 

Tony held up a hand. “Uhuh. You've both been stealing from the company. You Doctor Stevens have take drugs, regulated substances I might add and you Doctor Johnson, have used company funds to pay for your own purchases”. He crossed his arms. “I'm shutting down your department. Now, the list of medications or I can have Thor ask you?”

 

Thor cracked his knuckles. 

 

The doctors scrambled. 

 

Tony was just glad he'd had Jarvis look up dirt and that there had been such easy targets or it could have gotten messy. But it hadn't. It was almost like existence or reality or god wanted him to succeed. To bad this was just the start…

 

***************

 

He had tw two trolls and Thor and was Driving back to his tower less then an hour later, telling pepper all the things he'd need. She sounded proud and told him the pink blood would be there in 12 hours or so. 

 

She also told him that the Cap was back...


	26. Pink eyes and electric brains.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some sadness and pain... (as usual)
> 
> Then some sparkles! 
> 
> Also the promised Cap.

“These drugs… Tony… they…” Bruce sighed and looked away from where Tony was sitting with Mituna in his lap. 

 

The billionaire, god and two trolls had arrived back four hours before and in that time the the little yellow blood had refused to let Tony go. He had also refused to talk and refused to… well. He just sort of giggled and stroked Tony's face. He also wet himself and drooled, his eyes fully unfocused. 

 

Bruce gave Tony a look that said how truly bad the news was. “Tony. They are just minor sedatives… We’ll run more tests but-”

 

“He's retarded.” It was the Psiionic’s voice. The adult troll put his head into his hands and started to sob, his shoulders shaking. “He… he was ok. He… was… normal. He… I swear he was normal until…” he could not talk more his sobs not letting him speak. 

 

The sound was the only one that filled the room for a moment. Then there was a sharp intake of breath as the figure in the doorway could not stay silent. 

 

The captain looked like someone had kicked his puppy. He walked over and put a hand onto the Psiionic’s shoulder, gently, his blue eyes wet. “Hey. I promise… we won't stop until we help out as much as we can… Look at me… I promise”. Steves eyes showed deep sincerity and pain and offering his hand. “My name is Steve Rogers and I promise. I'll make it right”. 

 

The troll looked up at the captain, before he took the offered hand. “My name is Pollux… Pollux Captor”. His bright red and blue eyes shown. 

 

*******************

 

An hour had passed. 

 

Steve had never had any contact with trolls… well, once. He'd met one troll… when he was a kid. But that had been years ago and that troll would be dead by now. 

 

The golden boy was pacing back and forth, looking like a man torn. 

 

“I've met a troll before. He… I spoke to him and everything but… I never even thought… how could I not think about it? How did I not REALIZE?!” He asked. He'd met and spoken to that troll and yet… he'd never questioned the treatment of trolls as pets. It didn't make sense. 

 

“Steve” Bruce put a calm hand onto the blond's shoulder. “It's not uncommon to see something and yet not notice it. It's a type of Every Day Blindness…” that was the layman's term. 

 

“Still. I… WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE BETTER THAN THIS”. He said, determination in his voice. 

 

It had not taken Bruce and Tony long to explain the situation to Steve. The man had seen injustice and worked everyday to stop it. But… trolls. Neither Tony or Steve had seen it… 

 

“That boy… Mituna. What happened to him?” Steve asked. It was just the two of them. Tony still had Mituna attached to him and Thor was speaking with Eridan and Tavros and listening to Kankri. There was no speaking to Kankri. 

 

“It's… his brain shorted out. Basically. Too much power was forced from him while he was under too much pressure. It's… it's a miracle he's still alive”. Bruce had heard of it. But he'd never heard of a troll living through it. 

 

“How do we stop this?” Steve asked, looking up from his hands and facing the doctor. 

 

****************

6 or so hours later at the New York airport. 

 

Those little pink eyes stared up at Pepper as the tiny girl got off the plane and the woman felt it as her heart melted. Then the child was beaming up at her. “He-rro… me… Feferi!” Her English was broken and she was missing a tooth but…

 

Pepper knew she'd fallen. “Hello Feferi. My name is Pepper Pots… ready to go home?” 

 

Feferi reached out and grabbed Peppers hand and beamed up at her. Eyes shining.


	27. Trigger happy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat wakes up screaming from a dream. 
> 
> Sollux is also screaming. But he's very much awake. 
> 
> (Potential trigger. Also. Karkat opens his mouth).

Four days had passed. 

 

And Tony found…

 

Everyone loves Feferi.

 

Well, all the humans love her. 

 

The trolls… they react strangely. 

 

Mituna could care less. All he seemed to like was attention. Mostly from Tony and Pollux. 

 

Kankri seemed to give her no mind other than seeing her as a kid until Eridan started in. Now he avoided her. 

 

Eridan seemed to think Feferi was the incarnation of God and said so. Multiple times.  
...It sort of looked like he was even disturbing the little girl. 

 

Karkat appeared to HATE her. But… that might have just been his personality at this point. Tony had yet to find a thing he liked…

 

And Tavros and Pollux seemed to firmly agree that Feferi was terrifying. 

 

Tony knew he needed to do damage control and fast. 

 

Well, looking down… at Mituna… he had to ether get Mituna to go to Pollux or get Steve to do damage control. 

 

Bruce was having a bad day. 

 

Luckily the green eyed doctor had made it to his specially designed panic room in time. 

 

Not Tony, nor Thor or even Steve knew what caused it and none of them were looking foreword to the inevitable conversation later. 

 

*****

 

Karkat was dreaming. 

 

There was Sollux, laying down in the corner of the living room. The same place he and Karkat had laid when left alone. 

 

Karkat moved closer, something was wrong. Sollux was still. 

 

Then suddenly Sollux was standing in front of him. 

 

And he was bleeding from everywhere. 

 

Ears.   
Nose.   
Mouth. 

 

His eyes. They were… 

 

They were gone and there was only blood. 

 

Then he was screaming

 

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHKKK” Karkat sat straight up and looked around from where he was lying next to his bed. 

 

The troll was breathing heavily and shaking. He looked over to Tavros’s side of the room and saw the other boy staring at him. 

 

“Kk… uhh. You ok?” 

 

Karkat started, before he got up and started to hit himself in the head. Cursing. 

 

“MOTHER FUCKING. COCK SUCKING FUCKING SON OF AN INGRATE MAGGOT INFESTED WHORE!”

 

Tavros lunged and grabbed the other's hands, ending up wrestling the smaller boy to the floor. He then looked up, struggling to stop Karkat. 

 

“I’LL FUCKING DIE. LET ME FUCKING DIE. MOTHER OF ALL SMEGMA ENCRUSTED VOMIT EATING SHIT FILLED… FUCK!!”

 

Steve ran in, having heard and telling Jarvis to call Thor with the sedative. 

 

He then got down and helped Tavros hold Karkat down. The teen was still cursing and screaming, but he was also crying. 

 

Thor came with the needle and Steve injected the irate troll. 

 

Karkat started to calm and then he relaxed and looked down, still crying. “Sollux… Soll… I… please. Fuck. Fuuuckkk…” he whimpered. Sollux was always on his mind. 

 

“Please save Sollux”. He looked directly into Steve's eyes and Steve knew the kid was not speaking about Pollux. 

 

“Karkat. Buddy… Where is Sollux?” He didn't ask who. He didn't ask why. 

 

And so Karkat told him. 

 

*********************  
Sollux was screaming, his hands over his eyes, face blistering, backed into a corner. He was in so much pain. 

 

Above him his Master's older brother stood there holding the steaming cup that had held coffee. 

 

And he was laughing.


	28. Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deals are made and yellow is... saved?
> 
> Or not. Read on to find out.

It had taken a few hours to get everything set up. This rescue was not the same as the others. Tony could not threaten to shut down or fire a family and if things got messy… well, those people had owned Karkat and there was legitimate concern that they could and would kill Sollux if things got too messy. Anyone that could abuse a living thing as badly as Karkat had been abused could not be sane or rational. That had to have been the work of a psychopathic sadist. 

So the Avengers had to get more information from Karkat and then set up a game plan. It had been decided that since Karkat told them Sollux was a yellow blood, they could go the ‘evil scientist looking for subject’ rout. After the Captain had finished throwing up, the star spangled man had insisted on going to ‘acquire’ the troll himself. 

Steve dressed in a Men in Black-esk suit and shades, complete with annoying black blue tooth ear piece. He didn’t look the America's sweetheart after that. He then took a long black and silver Escalade and drove to the rundown apartment building and parked, listening to Tony tell him what to do the whole time threw that ear piece. 

 

The blond walked up the stairs, knocked on the door and started to chat. 

********************************************************************************************

“So… you’re Brian and you’re Kent?” The two boys nodded as they stared at Captain America. “And your brothers name is… Warren?” He confirmed. They nodded again, confused. 

“Yeah… wait. Who sent you again?” Brian asked. 

“I'm from T.B.L. ” he said, Tony in his ear piece. “I heard you have a troll and I am prepared to offer you a substantial sum if it's the right Polymorphic variety” Steve was almost grinding his teeth, fake smile in place. 

“Oh. Like… how much?” Kent asked. 

“Name a price and let me see the troll and I'll tell you…” Steve said. 

“Oh. Uh. Ok. He's a little fucked up right now though… but he'll heal. Just… a mistake with some coffee…” The younger brother said. 

“Uhhh. Come on inside”. 

Steve nodded and walked into the dingy, sparsely furnished apartment. The place was a wreck, mold on the walls, cans all over the floor, spills and it smelt like stale beer and too much sweat. In the middle of the room was a cheap, peeling fake leather couch and a huge flat screen tv with a game station...wait, several game stations and stacks of games. Steve stared. He heard Tony in his ear whistle. The billionaire said ‘so that's an addiction’. Steve hummed. “Where is the troll?” he asked, looking around and not seeing him. 

“Right there...don’t you see him?” The younger brother asked, pointing to a grey and greyish yellow blob in the corner. Once it came into focus Steve took a step back. 

Sollux looked up and his face...it was covered in blisters, bright yellow and painful looking. “For fucks sake I….” Steve didn’t know what to say. Tony cursed as well and the two males were staring at Steve, a sceptical look on one of their faces. 

‘Steve? Steve. Repeat after me.’ Natasha's voice came over the mic suddenly. Steven had not know she was there. ‘That drastically lowers potential value for my clients. What if he can’t see. That sucks’. 

Steve repeated it, eyes still wide. The skeptical look turned to one of regret.

“He'll heal. I swear. Ain't the worst shit that's happened… plus…” Kent turned, kicking the troll. “Bitch… how many fingers I holding up?” He asked. 

The troll had gasped out at the kick and looked like he spasmed for an instant. He then stared. “Three?” He guessed. 

Kent had been holding two. He kicked the troll again. “FUCKING LOOK YOU LAZY ASS BITCH!” 

“AWK-TWO. TWO!” 

Steve felt like he might throw up but Natasha's voice grounded him. She told him to keep calm. 

Kent turned and grinned. “See. He can see. $20,000”. 

Tony responded for that and Steve didn't argue. He just repeated. 

“Deal”. 

***********************************************


	29. Deaf meets mute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read the title. 
> 
> My works ain't long enough for fancy summaries. I add them just in case you get chapter lost.

Kurloz stared at the blond man and felt his mouth go dry. 

He was beautiful. All angles lines and snazzy clothes. With that perfect, bad boy smile. Kurloz felt his body react in a way it had not in YEARS. 

His master was talking to the blond man, pointing at Kurloz and smirking. 

“Rex. Show em how you sign” he said. “The troll signs real good. See, my aunt is deaf. Born that way. My granddaddy got a book and the troll… he fucking memorised that shit”. 

The blond turned to Kurloz, those angled shades hiding his eyes. Waiting. The man's brother was apparently deaf thanks to an accident of some sort and the boy needed someone to talk to and take care of him when others were busy. Kurloz could do that easy. 

Kurloz signed out ’Hello. I know American Sign Language… How may I help you?’

The blond signed back. ‘Do you understand what I'm signing now or do you need miming?’ Kurloz shook his head and signed that he understood. 

‘Good’ The man sighed, while speaking to the trolls Master. “I'll take him. $11,000 right?” He confirmed. 

The deal was made and after a bit of signed paperwork, Kurloz was a legal and registered troll after all, the trolls owner change. 

The old Master drove away, content with his cash. 

The blond man turned. “So, you don't speak at all? Well, that's fine. Dave might like that… what's your real name? I know enough about trolls to know that Rex ain't right…” offering his hand in introduction. 

Kurloz signed ‘K.U.R.L.O.S’ and took that hand. 

“Kurloz hunh? My names Dirk Strider. But you can call me Bro” the blonde smiled wide. 

“Come on in. I'll introduce you to the fam and show you around… fuck. Dave's gonna love you”. Dirk pulled the troll with him, by the hand. 

And with that Kurloz knew without a doubt… his life was changed forever.


	30. AND

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drama and Sollux and emergencys. 
> 
>  
> 
> Can you believe I made it this far? I can't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!READ!!
> 
> I was thinking of making a longer, more... coherent version of this story. Like a non-abridged version. 
> 
> What do you lot think?

There is only so much pain someone can go through before they become irreparably changed. Pain, be it emotional or physical leaves scared on the mind, even on the occasion when it does not leave them on the body. 

Karkat liked to read. He liked to read the cheesiest, stupidest and most idealised romance novels ever. The sort where everyone is a Mary Sue and any pain is all imaginary. 

He liked that it took him away from his mind. From his world. He liked that it made no sense and was so INEXCUSABLY FAKE that it didn't make him hurt inside. 

Karkat didn't realise why he'd found so many great books on his Stark Pad, but he had. He was easily immersed in them. The troll didn't know that Jarvis watched everything and noticed when and where in stories Karkat got an elevated heart rate. Jarvis then edited out the scenes that were likely to cause an adverse reaction whenever the AI found it applicable. 

Jarvis also suggested books with little to no conflict in the first place. 

The troll had ‘forgotten’ his pained request of Steve and the other humans. He didn't think they'd really help, so he didn't hope for it. So he ignored the thoughts otherwise. He'd been tricked and scammed by his first Master and the manager at Trolls R Us too many times to trust humans… or trolls for that matter. Stupid caged bastards. 

It might have been a good thing he wasn't paying attention to anything outside his book, because Bruce looked very worried as he spoke into his mouth piece. 

Something about an emergency vet or something. 

Karkat didn't care. 

************************************************

Sollux was in BAD shape. Very bad. 

The yellow blooded teen didn't seem to understand where he was or what was going on. He just kept muttering about stopping the Russians, something Steve didn't get at all and confused Natasha just as much. It was Tony who got it. 

“Video game. He's talking about a Video game… fuck”. 

The troll, currently in the passenger seat of the Escalade was delirious and seemed to be in a lot of physical pain. The only thing the troll appeared to be able to do, was answer direct questions and ones pertaining to that fantasy he was entrapped in. 

“Come on Sollux. Please just keep talking… what… what should we do about the Russians?”

“Hit… fire. Fuck… they are tho good… fire the torpedo… THOOT IT!” The troll moved, then gasped out in incredible pain. He kept his eyes closed. 

“I got you a doctor. I'm sending directions to the GPS. Just do what it s-” Tony stared. 

“I KNOW GPS!” Steve shouted. Sollux looked like he was gonna fall asleep any second and… Steve was scared he might never wake up. The shouting hadn't seemed to affect the troll in anyway, something that worried the former solider after he shouted. 

“I know GPS. Thanks for the directions…” Steve then drove to the clinic. 

“I'll meet you there… Mituna… buddy” Tony stared. There was a brief struggle and then a sigh. “Me AND Mituna and Natasha will be there soon”.


	31. Dust to Dutht

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cronus...?

They were almost to Stark Tower when Sollux started to seem to start coming around. At least a little. 

“Wait… where… thith I'm in a car… no Ruththenth… WAIT! They… THEY FUCKING THOLD ME!” NOO!” He started to struggle against the seat belt. 

“NO. NO. NO. FUCK.” The teenager reached out and started to undo himself. Steve had to pull over. 

The human reached over, trying to calm the boy. “Hey… hey! Calm down. You're safe. Please. You're safe!” He said, only to have the boy struggle against him more. 

Sollux buckled his hips and thrashed. “NO. NO. CRONUTH!!!” He'd started to cry, at least Steve thought he was crying, no, HOPPED he was crying. Otherwise that yellow fluid was blood. 

“Whoa… WHOA! Calm down. Calm DOWN” he said it hard in his struggle and… Sollux froze. 

Steve pulled back, panting from the struggle of trying to keep the kid in the car and yet not hurt him. 

“Now… who is Cronus?” He asked, looking around. He could hear Tony in his ear. Tony thought it sounded like a troll name and Steve agreed. 

Sollux was panting as well, his eyes looked horrible but they were open and, thanks to the teens yellow blood and yellow sclera (white part of the eye) it was impossible to tell just how damaged the eyes were. 

“Cronuth… he'th… he'th jutht a kid. Pleathe… pleathe. He’th the one… you wanna buy. Return… me and. And buy him. He’th… better. Pleathe. He’th better… I'm… wreaked merchandithe…” he said, reaching out to grab Steve's hands. 

Steve swallowed, having a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that was about to turn into nausea at Sollux’s next words. 

“Pleathe… you'll like him better. He’th real thmall… real Thmall. Just pupate latht year. He'll be a better fuck. Pleathe return me and take him”. 

Steve stared, the image that appeared in his head made him open the door and… be very sick. He'd not eaten in a while so it was mostly stomach acid and coffee. 

“W-WHAT?!” Steve shouted. 

************************************************  
It took Steve another 29 minutes before he started to get everything sorted out. He still felt pretty ill but it was passing. 

“Look. We'll get Cronuth… I promise. We'll get him” he said. “But first we have to get you to a doctor. I…” Steve stopped, noticing that the teenager was really still. 

“Sollux?”


	32. The Signs of a Bully.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read. The. Title.

Kurloz looked at the boy, who was named Dave Strider, and took his full appearance in. 

The preteen looked much like his older brother, only much younger, with round glasses and some scatters and varied bruises. None really bad. But… there. 

The boy stared at the troll, probably taking him in too before he signed, not miming one bit. ‘So. You're the troll? Thought you'd be smaller’. 

Kurloz grinned and replied, also not miming… not that he ever really did. Not after the girl had not wanted it at least. ‘I'm fully grown. I hope I'm not too big. I wouldn't want to intimidate you’. He was teasing though and it showed on his face and how he signed. 

Dave laughed out loud, making his first sound Kurloz had heard from him. 

‘I'm not scared. I'm not weak. Bet I could take you’ he replied, before flashing a grin and motioning for the troll to follow him. He showed the troll all over the house, before coming to the very last room. 

The blonde boy opened the door to show off a simple bedroom. The twin sized bed had mismatched bedding, but a nice thick blanket and two pillows. There was a dresser and a wardrobe along with a circle rug and night light. The walls were a soft beige colour. Everything in the room looked worn and simple but it also looked very inviting. The sunlight filled the space. 

‘This is your room. Dirk took the door handle off but the door stays closed. Just doesn't lock’ Dave wrote. 

Kurloz didn't reply right away, hands limp at his sides, eyes wide. He'd never had a room before. Not ever and… it was so lovely. 

Dave tapped him. ‘You don't like it?’ He asked. 

‘I love it. I've never had a room before.’ He wrote. Dave's brows furrowed. ‘Then where did you sleep?’

‘Usually? On the floor of my masters room.’ he wrote, not giving more information to the kid. Kurloz had raised kids. He didn't want to trouble the boy. 

Dave made an even worse face. ‘That's rude. Least he could have done was give you the couch. Floors are cold’. Kurloz smiled and gave a perfectly silent laugh of his own. Floors were cold. 

The troll reached over and gently put a hand on the kids shoulder for an instant. Patting him. ‘My chores include cooking right? Mind showing me back to the kitchen and telling me what you want for dinner? It's getting late’. 

Dave kept smiling and lead the way. 

Bit Kurloz couldn't help but look at the few scattered bruises on the boy and wonder how he'd got them. Dirk seemed so kind. 

Was there a bully?


	33. Natasha takes the helm.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha gets Cronus.

“I'm turning back” Steve said. He couldn't bare the idea of leaving a little kid with… with those things that had tortured Karkat and almost blinded Sollux. 

“No. You're not” It was Natasha's voice. “Drive back to the tower and get that boy medical attention.”

Steve blanched. “But-”

“I'll go and pick up the kid” Natasha cut in. Steve nodded, looking at Sollux. The teen was still breathing and looked like it was regular breathing but he'd passed out. 

Steve drove back to the tower and carried Sollux to the medical floor, Tony and Mituna with him. 

Bruce was waiting. 

They all had ear pieces still.   
************************************************  
Natasha had no intention of doing what Steve had done. It wouldn't work, she could tell that it wouldn't work. 

Trolls were expensive commodities and to top it off, Sollux had had no papers. This meant that Sollux had most likely been stolen and it was likely that Karkat and Cronuth had also been stolen. 

This, coupled with the apparent age differences between the first two trolls and the newly pupated troll, meant that while the family was willing to sell one punching bag, they would NOT be willing to sell all of them. 

Acquiring a new one would simply take too long and be uncertain. But this also meant that they'd be unable to go to the police. 

Natasha was going to steal the boy. It really should not be too much trouble for her after all. If any trouble at all. 

The woman didn't bother giving a full on speech. She didn't even ask for an explanation about the trolls. She just said she was going to get the child and walked out. 

The red headed woman walked to her room and grabbed some of her gear and her clothes. She changed as she went to the garage, before taking a very nondescript car that she'd gotten for just such a purpose. 

Tony sent her the address, probably guessing what she would do and the woman was off. 

Once Natasha had reached the building she already had a plan. A very simple plan. 

She parked a block away, then waited 45 minutes. She then walked over and inside before… finding the power box and cutting its supply. 

The whole place went dark. Then went up to the apartment and waited again. 

Three minutes. It took three minutes before both brothers practically pushed each other out of the way to find out what the problem was. Their game had shut off and they'd been at a crucial part, or so their angry yelling and cursing said. 

Natasha waited, before grabbing the door to the apartment and slipped in. 

She could see well in the dim light from the window and walked around, eyes scanning. 

It was in the furthest bedroom from the door that she found him. 

A little tiny boy, who looked no older than 5 but had to be at least 6 years old as pupation happened at six years, curled up on a filthy mattress, covered in purple bruising. 

The mattress was sheet less and stained with yellow, purple, the rust colour of human blood, cherry red and… green. 

She staired, having checked all the other rooms. There was no one else here and she'd seen no troll leave with the boys. 

The woman shook it off, snapping a pic before walking over and gently surveying the child. 

Cronuth was covered in bruising, little bones jutted out harshly and his eyes looked sunken in. The boy was naked and appeared to be shaking, but he was asleep. 

Natasha swallowed, her emotions showing on her face for a moment. Pity, mixed with anger. She was mad that someone could harm a child this way. 

The woman then crouched down and pulled something from her bag, putting it to the little ones face. It would keep Cronuth out for a few more hours. She then wrapped the boy up in the filthy blanket that was there and carried him off. 

The smell made her feel a tad ill. But she ignored it. 

No one saw her leave.


	34. Rufio and Aradia's story.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rufio thinks back.

Aradia was asleep, her face smeared with dirt and the cheap coverup Rufio had applied to her skin to hide the grey. But, even dirty and smeared… to Rufio, she was the most beautiful little girl in the world. 

Aradia was perfect. Rufio had always felt that way. Since the first moment he'd seen her those three years ago. A lifetime ago. 

The twenty year old leaned back and let his mind wander back. The severe ache in his feet and legs might have brought the memory on as well. 

*****************past**************************

Rufio knew that his Master was bring home another troll today. It should have made him happy, but it made him nervous. If there was another troll, Rufio might be surplus and… disposable. 

The teenager knew that he was the third troll his Master had owned and, well. The other two were dead now. Rufio had gotten to watch the one he'd met die. 

It had been bloody. VERY bloody. That night had been the first time Rufio had tried to run away. He'd been seven years old and too slow. 

His Master had broken both his legs for that. 

The second time he'd tried to run away he'd been 13. It had been a prime opportunity. His Master had brought him to a hotel where the human had had ‘business’. 

Rufio had thought his Master would be busy with gang things. He knew his Master killed people as well as trolls and animals by that time. He'd also known he'd eventually be killed. 

He'd managed to evade his Masters men for three days before he'd been caught. Rufio had been sure he was going to be killed. But he wasn't. 

His Master had not broken his legs that time. No. 

He'd been tied down and his Master had taken a razor blade and cut, deep, into the soles of the trolls feet. Again and again and again and again until his Master had made an 11 by 17 grid. The human had then untied the troll and left him in a filthy cellar to heal. After a couple of days he'd given Rufio some antibiotics and, after a week he'd forced the teen to walk again. 

Rufio had not tried to run again. The punishment had hurt. Bad but… his Master had used that specific punishment for a reason. 

Rufio could not walk for long, the scar tissue ached or worse. He was partially disabled. The knife had cut him quite deeply. 

Rufio didn't think he could run away again. He didn't see any option. But… he was not going to let himself die without a fight.

He had to try again. So he got ready, stealing some cash from his Masters wallet and then he saw it. 

The coverup. He'd take that too and some clothes. Long sleeves. Not his, his masters. 

The teen caught his reflection in the mirror. Horns. Long, glorious bull horns. They were magnificent. Or so his Master said. But, they were also not human. 

Rufio went to garage, creeping along, dressed much like a harem girl in soft pink silk. 

He knew that there was a bone saw in the garage and he lifted it, hiding it in his pants. 

It was in his way back to his Masters room that he saw the human, with many of his men, standing around a crate, looking at something that was before them. 

Rufio went forward, crouching behind them and looked over and it was then that he saw her for the very first time. 

Aradia. She was there with her soft little cherub face, sleeping peacefully. Unmarked by the world. Perfect and innocent and…

She would be ruined. 

Rufio had to save her as well. He had to try.   
******************present*********************

Rufio had succeeded in the escape. He guessed his Master had thought Rufio would never try again, or at least… not try the same day a new troll had come. 

Rufio had managed to take Aradia, two changes of clothes, some jewels and makeup from the Humans wife and cash and… the bone saw. 

It had been so very painful it was indescribable. Aradia had screamed so much. 

But he'd saved her. 

Everything Rufio did was to save Aradia now. The begging, the theft. Even the occasional prostitution. 

All for Aradia.


End file.
